Collier County home prices rise in April

The housing upswing in Collier County continued in April with the average home price up 12 percent over 2013, according to numbers released Friday.

The median price of a home in Collier County rose to $269,000 in April up from $240,000 a year earlier, according to statistics released Friday by the Naples Area Board of Realtors.

"This is a good sign that homeowners contemplating selling don't have to wait until the winter season to put their home on the market to see a good return. Great sales activity in Collier County is no longer limited to just the winter months," wrote board president Pat Pitocchi in a statement.

The average home price in Collier was up $73,000 from $302,000 in April 2013 to $375,000 in 2014 — a 24 percent increase, according to the report.

Condominium sales also remained hot, with average prices jumping from $200,000 to $220,000 — a 10 percent increase according to the report.

The largest increase in closing price occurred in the Naples Beach area, with prices jumping from $615,000 in 2013 to $777,000 in 2014, according to the report.

Homes worth less than $300,000 also increased by $20,000 in average value — from $155,000 in 2013 to $175,000 in 2014.

Meanwhile, the total number of homes sold fell to 1,082 in April from 1,185 during the same time period, according to the report.

The supply of homes available for sale fell from 4,720 to 4,157 year over year, according to the board's report.

"Our agents are showing buyers new construction homes," said Phil Wood, President and CEO of Naples-based John R. Wood Realtors, in the report. "There isn't enough existing home inventory to go around. But not even new construction can keep up with the current level of demand."

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